Oceans HQ partners Gibraltar Ship Registry on STCW requirements

Written by Emma Jonesin Press Releases

London, 19 May 2015 - Maritime software solutions provider Oceans HQ Ltd has announced a partnership with the Gibraltar Ship Registry (part of the Gibraltar Maritime Administration), ahead of new STCW requirements for online access to seafarer certification data which come into force in 2017.

The project, which began in September 2014, sees Oceans HQ working directly with the Gibraltar Maritime Administration to implement the Vessel HQ and Seafarer HQ platforms, enabling ship registries to keep accurate, up-to-date records on registered ships, mortgages, surveys and inspections alongside details of all seafarer certificates.

André Tanguy, Oceans HQ Director said:

"Today ship registries are operating under a level of scrutiny that has not been seen before. IMO audits, enhanced reporting and data analysis requirements are all now adding to the administrative burden. Information Technology is continually changing and for many registries, the challenge of keeping software both up to date and well maintained is increasingly time-consuming.

Vessel HQ and Seafarer HQ are industry-leading software platforms enabling our customers to comply with the increasing expectations of the IMO, the ILO and their own customers and ensure data is secure and accessible, all while keeping costs under control."

Developed in-house by Oceans HQ in line with ISO27001:2013 certification, the solutions are key components in ensuring seafarer’s data is protected and Flag States can meet their international obligations. Seafarer HQ also meets the forthcoming STCW requirement for a global electronic database for seafarer certifications and assists in the issue of electronic certificates.

Tanguy continues:

"Our software platforms been built specifically for Flag States from the ground-up, and have been in operation across multiple Flag States for a number of years, evolving to encompass every facet of the ship registry business.

In the case of Gibraltar Maritime Administration, the software integrates with other areas of government administration, for example, notifying the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority directly when a change is made to a vessel’s particulars. The next phase of the project will begin this summer and involves new module rollouts in preparation for STCW requirements for electronic systems that come into force in 2017."

Gibraltar Maritime Administrator Richard Montado said:

"We use Vessel HQ to manage our maritime registries and certification. Our surveyors and registry team have been impressed by its user-friendly interface and the fact that we can take advantage of hands-on training and technical support and assistance from Oceans HQ.

We are working collaboratively together with the Oceans HQ team to continually improve and streamline our systems, allowing us to continue to improve efficiency, data accuracy and ensure compliance with regulations."

The technical performance of a flag state is measured by a calculation based on the number of inspections and detentions of its ships over the past three years, where a minimum of thirty inspections have been carried out.